41 posts categorized "Flip Chats"

September 19, 2011

(This video was recorded as part of our 'Flip' chat series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat with NextGen:Charity co-founder Jonah Halper.)

In conjunction with the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I attended a Philanthropy New York event last week titled "Balancing Civil Rights & National Security: A Debate Led by Gara LaMarche."

During the event, LaMarche, now a senior fellow at New York University's Wagner School of Public Service and until this summer the president and CEO of the Atlantic Philanthropies -- a New York City-based foundation that endeavours "to make lasting changes for people who are disadvantaged by their economic situation, race, nationality, gender, age, disabilities, immigration status, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religion" -- moderated a discussion on how the Bush administration's efforts to protect Americans after 9/11 led to an increase in civil rights violations around the country. LaMarche also invited the panelists -- American Civil Liberties Union board president Susan Herman, author of Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy; Eric Ward, program executive for the human rights and reconciliation initiative at Atlantic Philanthropies; Rosa Brooks, a professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center; and Karen J. Greenberg, visiting fellow and director of Fordham Law School's Center on National Security -- to weigh in on what future administrations (and the current one) could do to protect and extend civil liberties while keeping the country safe from terrorist attack.

After the session, I had a chance to chat with LaMarche about the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act, the successes and failures of the "war on terrror," the philanthropic response to 9/11, and some of the big challenges confronting the United States today.

What do you think? Has the "war on terror" outlived its usefulness as a metaphor? To what extent does "national security" involve more than just physical attacks on the homeland? And, in an increasingly interdependent world, what should organized philanthropy be doing to help defuse the many threats to security confronting the U.S.? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

August 18, 2011

(This video was recorded as part of our 'Flip' chat series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat with Kiva president Premal Shah.)

Inspired by TED, the conference series that serves as a megaphone for "ideas worth spreading," Jonah Halper started NextGen:Charity with Ari Teman as a way to promote innovation in the nonprofit sector. With support from nonprofit and media partners, including Fast Company, GuideStar, Charity Navigator, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and Network for Good, Halper and Teman mounted their first conference last year and were delighted by the sold-out response. To be held in New York City in November, this year's conference will see Craig Newmark (Craigslist), Charles Best (DonorsChoose.org), Marc Ecko (Ecko Enterprises), Nancy Lublin (Do Something), Peter Diamandis (X Prize Foundation), and others present talks related to the theme "Educate + Inspire + Impact."

I met up with Halper in July at the Nexus: Global Youth Summit, a four-day conference in New York City organized by Search for Common Ground, a D.C.-based group that works to transform the way the world deals with conflict. It was a lively gathering, and Halper was eager to talk about his young organization and the paradigm change his generation hopes to spark in the philanthropic sector.

My few minutes with Halper got me thinking about the conference format and its potential to spark positive social change. Have you attended a TED conference or something like it? Were you inspired by the program? Did it motivate you to take action on an issue that you might not have engaged with otherwise? Is the proliferation of TED and TED-like conferences a positive development? Or are they starting to drown each other out? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below....

June 15, 2011

(The videos below were recorded as part of our 'Flip' chat series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Big Duck VP of client relationships and strategy Farra Trompeter.)

In part one of our three-part video conversation with Premal Shah, president of the online microlending site Kiva, we asked Shah to explain how Kiva works, where it fits into the microfinance landscape, and how it has been received by more established players in the field of philanthropy.

In part two (below), we ask Shah about the SMART campaign, a global effort to create and promote agreed-upon principles for the microfinance industry; the difference between profiting from and exploiting the poor; and Americans' awareness of microfinance in general.

And in part three, Shah talks about Kiva's growing presence in the United States; the obstacles to the continued development of microfinance in this country; and what he's most excited about as he looks ahead a year or three.

(Running time: 6 minutes, 3 seconds)

What do you think? Is Kiva changing the way the world thinks about the billion or so people at the bottom of pyramid (BoP)? Will the organization's first-mover advantage continue to insulate it from meaningful competition? Does microfinance have a future in the United States? What could or should Kiva be doing to have even more of an impact?

June 14, 2011

(This video was recorded as part of our 'Flip' chat series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Big Duck VP of client relationships and strategy Farra Trompeter.)

For much of its existence, Kiva.org -- an online platform that enables people to make small loans to poor people in developing countries -- has been one of the coolest nonprofit Web sites around. Founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley in 2005, the organization capitalized on its Silicon Valley connections -- its current president, Premal Shah, was a product manager at PayPal -- and the Web 2.0 boom to become the darling of social change activists and the DIY philanthropy crowd in just a few years.

That same year (2009), the organization announced that it was piloting a program in the U.S. to allow individuals across the globe to make small loans to U.S. entrepreneurs through its field partners, ACCION USA and the Opportunity Fund. A year later, with unemployment hovering in the low double digits, Kiva announced a $1 million contribution from Visa to expand its reach within the U.S. generally -- and, through the addition of ACCION Texas-Louisiana, the largest microfinance institution in the country, the Gulf Coast specifically -- and further empower small businesses.

Having been named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things of 2010, the now five-year-old organization continues to expand. During the recent Microfinance USA 2011 conference in New York City, PND spoke with Premal Shah about the state of the microfinance industry, how the field of philanthropy has responded to Kiva’s emergence, and the status of the organization’s efforts in the U.S. Part one of our chat with Shah is posted below; parts two and three will follow tomorrow.

What do you think? Is Kiva changing the way we think about the billion or so people worldwide at the bottom of pyramid (BoP)? Is the organization's business model sustainable? What should it be doing to have even more of an impact?

May 09, 2011

(This is the sixth and last video in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good." You can check out our previous chats, with the National Wildlife Federation's Danielle Brigida here, Small Act's Casey Golden here, Idealist's Julia Smith here, NTEN’s Amy Sample Ward here, and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's Renee Alexander here.)

As you think about how your organization should use social media, be sure to connect your social media strategy to the organization's mission, says Big Duck vice president of client relationships and strategy Farra Trompeter (@farra) in the final installment of our "social media for social good" series. Among other things, be sure to consider "your [nonprofit's] goals around raising money, creating change, [and] getting people to engage...and participate in programs or become a volunteer."

According to Trompeter, nonprofits should also pay attention to the following:

Examine your organization's culture. Can employees watch videos on YouTube, check Facebook, or update Twitter during office hours? If not, you're probably not ready to launch a social media campaign.

Check out the competition. What social networking sites are your competitors using? Chances are good your audience is there, too.

Assemble a dream team. Identify the people in your organization who are passionate about social media and put them in charge of implementing your social media strategy and tracking the results.

Draft a social media policy. Create a set of guidelines for staff to follow that includes advice about how to handle specific situations (e.g., a tweet or Facebook comment that puts your organization in a negative light).

Be willing to experiment and fail. Experimenting with different tools is the best way to learn what works and what doesn't.

May 06, 2011

(This is the fifth in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good." You can check out our previous chats with the National Wildlife Federation's Danielle Brigida here, Small Act's Casey Golden here, Idealist's Julia Smith here, and NTEN’s Amy Sample Ward here.)

What's it like to use social media to raise funds for a nonprofit working overseas? What are some of the issues that these types of nonprofits should be aware of? And how does a traditionally bureaucratic, top-down institution deal with the decentralized nature of social media?

In this installment of our "social media for social good" video series, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's social media manager Renee Alexander (@luckyrenee) addresses all of the above -- and more. Alexander is no stranger to using social media to raise money and awareness for a cause, having recently helped the fund launch Haiti365, a year-long project that invites supporters to take action on behalf of Haiti's children.

(After you watch the short video below, be sure to check out this video from New Marketing TV in which Alexander goes into more detail about Haiti365 and UNICEF USA's social media efforts to help and support victims of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated coastal areas of northeastern Japan in March -- efforts that included building walls on the last day of this year's South by Southwest conference so that attendees could write or draw messages for children affected by the disaster.)

"No matter where you go there's unique sensitivities....We really have to think before we tweet," said Alexander when asked how the fund deals with the decentralized nature of social media. Although we couldn't agree more, we also understand that mistakes happen, especially in today's fast-paced digital world. Have you ever accidentally published a blog post or tweet that put your organization in a negative light? How did you and your organization handle the situation? What did you learn from the experience? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

For more on the "Social Media for Social Good" event, check out these videos.

May 04, 2011

(This is the fourth in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good." You can check out our previous chats, with the National Wildlife Federation's Danielle Brigida here, Small Act's Casey Golden here, and Idealist's Julia Smith here.)

"You run into trouble if you think social media is just Facebook or Twitter," Amy Sample Ward (@amyrsward), membership director at the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), said at the Foundation Center's "Social Media for Social Good" (#SM4SG) event last week. By lumping e-mail, newsletters, and Web sites into the same category, Ward added, nonprofits run the risk of looking at social media as "the solution" rather than as another communications vehicle.

In this installment of our "social media for social good" video series, Ward explains why, in terms of your social media activities, not taking the time "to know where your community is" and approaching social media like any other broadcast channel or marketing vehicle can get your organization into trouble. She also explains why "social CRM" -- the ability to track customer/constituent information and engagement across social media platforms -- will be the next big development in the social media space. (For more on social CRM, check out this post from NTEN executive director Holly Ross.)

How about you? Are you measuring your organization's social media engagement? If so, how are you doing it and what, if any, lessons have you learned? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below.

And for more about DIY community engagement metrics, check out this post from Amy herself.

May 03, 2011

(This is the third in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good." You can check out our previous chats, with the National Wildlife Federation's Danielle Brigida here and Small Act's Casey Golden here.)

Since 1995, Action Without Borders/Idealist.org has offered the nonprofit community a broad range of tools with the aim of helping to "build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives." Led by its founder Ami Dar, the organization has published numerous guides for young nonprofit professionals and sector-switchers and staged countless Graduate Degree Fairs for idealists. But for many, the organization's Web site (now in its third iteration) and online community (complete with job board and blog) has made the biggest impact. (For more on Idealist founder Ami Dar check out our very first "Flip" chat here.)

In this installment of our "social media for social good" video series, Idealist's Julia Smith (@juliacsmith) discusses how the site has evolved into a social media platform. Smith, who helps Idealist with its communications and media strategy, also explains how the organization's engagement efforts online differ from its efforts offline and shares some tips for nonprofits looking to get the most out of their social media activities.

May 02, 2011

(This is the second in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good." You can check out our previous chat, with National Wildlife Federation digital marketing manager Danielle Brigida here.)

As keynote speaker Casey Golden -- founder and CEO of Small Act, a firm that helps nonprofits and businesses nurture their key online relationships through software and consulting -- explained at the Foundation Center's "Social Media for Social Good" (#SM4SG) event last week, social media represents the next stage in a communications revolution. Indeed, said Golden, social media is changing the way corporations communicate with customers and the way nonprofits engage their constituents. Never before has there been a communications medium "where you can actually build relationships" and "find advocates within your" network to keep your message going. Therefore, it is essential for organizations to be strategic in their approach to social media and to learn how to measure the right things.

That was just one of many takeaways from Golden's presentation and the panel discussion that followed, which included Julia Smith of Idealist, Farra Trompeter of Big Duck, Amy Sample Ward of the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), and Renee Alexander of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. (For more information about the event, check out this post from the folks at Nonprofit Bridge.)

In this installment of our "social media for social good" video series, Golden, an entrepreneur since the age of 11, discusses why it's important for nonprofits to embrace social media and shares what he believes will be the next big thing in the space.

What do you think? What would you add to Golden's list of tips for resource-constrained nonprofits looking be more effective at social media? (Golden suggested nonprofits be consistent in the amount of time they spend online and how they distribute social media responsibilities.) Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

For more on the "Social Media for Social Good" event, check out these videos.

April 28, 2011

(This is the first in a series of videos, recorded as part of our "Flip" chat series, that explores how various nonprofits -- and the consultants they hire -- are using "social media for social good.")

Last week, I attended a 501 Tech NYC event, "Ask A Social Media Strategist," that featured National Wildlife Federation digital marketing manager Danielle Brigida (@starfocus). For the last four and a half years, Danielle has been helping NWF engage with its constituents online through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, while also training internal staff on how to use various social media tools. Among other things, she is responsible for maintaining the organization's main social networking accounts, while more than twenty other staff members are tasked with monitoring online profiles related to their programs or departments.

Before the event got under way, I had a chance to sit down with Danielle to discuss NWF's social media strategy and how the organization divvies up responsibilities associated with maintaining its significant online presence. Danielle also offered a few tips for resource-constrained nonprofits looking to get the most bang for their social media buck.

During the event, Danielle explained how she sometimes has to talk NWF staff out of creating a Facebook fan page or other online profile for their program because creating a new one would be overkill. Since I didn't think to ask Danielle this question during the event, I thought it would be nice to hear from all of you about the metrics you use to determine whether a new program needs its own online profile or identity? And when do you say enough is enough? Use the comments section to share your thoughts....

March 24, 2011

(This is the sixteenth in our series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Taproot Foundation president and founder Aaron Hurst.)

It's been two weeks since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, and video footage of the disaster -- of coastal villages turned into matchsticks, of cars tossed about like they were bath toys, of a wall of water devouring everything in its path -- still shocks and is unnerving to watch. The disaster, which may have cost 20,000 people their lives, is likely go down as the most expensive ever (and that's before any costs associated with the ongoing emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex are figured in), and it will be years before Japan and the Japanese people have fully recovered.

Americans responded quickly and generously in the days after the disaster, and by this past Monday had donated $136 million to relief and recovery efforts in Japan -- almost two-thirds of that to the American Red Cross.

In our latest "Flip" chat, Wendy Harman, director of social media at the Red Cross, talks with social media strategist Larry Blumenthal, co-host (with Bill Silberg) of our new Talking Philanthropy series, about the public response to the quake and tsunami, the organization's social media strategy in the wake of a disaster, and some of the things the Red Cross is doing under her leadership to maximize its social media efforts.

What do you think? Has the Red Cross discovered the "secret sauce" in terms of social media? Is online and mobile giving supplementing or cannibalizing more traditional giving channels? And is, as many have said, the fundraising model for disaster relief in this country broken?

March 11, 2011

(This is the fifteenth in our series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Headwaters Foundation for Justice executive director Trista Harris.)

"The challenges nonprofit groups face today demand that we find a better way to insert business expertise into the nonprofit world," wrote Taproot Foundation president and founder Aaron Hurst in a Chronicle of Philanthropyopinion piece back in 2009. "If crafted well, an army of pro bono consultants can help nonprofit groups strengthen their own abilities to adapt so they can deal with constantly evolving social, economic, and environmental challenges...."

Indeed, as nonprofits -- like many foundations, corporations, and individuals -- struggle to recover from the Great Recession, working "smarter" and doing more with less has become the new mantra.

Fortunately, nonprofits and people interested in providing pro bono services can turn to the Taproot Foundation for advice and resources. Over the last ten years, Taproot -- which works in five metro areas to "strengthen nonprofits by engaging business professionals in service" -- has perfected its recipe for pro bono collaboration. The ingredients of that recipe include:

In our latest "Flip" chat, Hurst discusses the state of the pro bono industry, reflects on challenges his organization has faced over the last ten years, and offers some advice to folks looking to switch from the for-profit world to the nonprofit sector.

What do you think? Do you have an experience or advice related to pro bono work you can share? Is it something you'd recommend to others? And what advice would you give Aaron and his Taproot colleagues as they enter their second decade?

February 24, 2011

(This is the fourteenth in our series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Demos co-founder David Callahan.)

How will you rock your nonprofit career in 2011? Are you having trouble coming up with ideas? You're in luck. Headwaters Foundation for Justice executive director Trista Harris has more than a few and graciously shared them during a special event in New York City last week.

February 15, 2011

(This is the thirteenth in our series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat, with Foundation Center president Brad Smith.)

On a snowy January morning, a dozen people convened at the offices of Philanthropy New York to discuss David Callahan's new book, Fortunes of Change: The Rise of the Liberal Rich and the Remaking of America. During the discussion, the Demos co-founder and senior fellow explored a number of topics covered in the book, including the westward shift of wealth creation as the United States has transitioned from a manufacturing- to a knowledge-based economy. Callahan -- who in 2000 co-founded Demos, a public policy think tank dedicated to pursuing a more equitable economy and vibrant, inclusive democracy -- is the author of several books, most recently The Cheating Culture (2004) and The Moral Center (2007).

Fortunes of Change centers around the shifting demographics of the ultra-wealthy in the United States. As the number of tech billionaires and computer-savvy financiers on the Forbes 400 list continues to grow, the "typical" billionaire, says Callahan, is both more educated -- and more liberal -- than ever before. What's more, because many of the new billionaires have come into wealth at a young age, a growing number are adopting a "giving while living" approach to philanthropy. This, in turn, is having an enormous impact on the amount of money flowing into American politics generally and "liberal" causes more specifically. Indeed, during the 2008 election, "Obama...raised more money than McCain in eight of the ten wealthiest zip codes in the United States and...outraised him in any number of industries, including hedge funds, venture capital, private equity, corporate law, investment banking, and high tech," writes Callahan in Fortunes of Change. "In a first for Democratic presidential candidates, Obama even raised more money than McCain did from commercial bankers."

After the event, we had a chance to sit down with Callahan to discuss how the composition of the country's ultra-rich has changed over the past decade and what the implications are for philanthropy.

What do you think? Does philanthropy give the mega-wealthy outsize influence in a democratic society? Should government do more to regulate the way private dollars are used to create public good? And what, if anything, should we do to ensure that tax-advantaged dollars are used to address issues of fairness and social justice?

December 28, 2010

(This is the twelfth in our series of conversations with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can check out other videos in the series here, including our previous chat with Lesley Chilcott, producer of Waiting for 'Superman'.)

For our final 'Flip' chat of the year, we asked Foundation Center president Brad Smith to share his thoughts on a few of the most important topics of 2010 –- the slow economic recovery and its impact on giving, the Giving Pledge campaign, and the meaning of transparency in a philanthropic context.

In the second video -- we decided to split the Q&A into two parts -- Brad discusses five trends that are likely to change philanthropy over the next decade. Enjoy!